


Frost Fair

by TaleasOldasTimeandSpace



Series: Whouffaldi Week 2016 [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post-Last Christmas, Whouffaldi Week 2016, adorkable dorks doing fluffy things, frost fair, like right after, the doctor comes to this fair too often
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 20:28:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6344023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaleasOldasTimeandSpace/pseuds/TaleasOldasTimeandSpace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor takes Clara to the Last Frost Fair.  To make up for, y'know, breaking up with her and then nearly getting eaten by dream crabs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frost Fair

**Author's Note:**

> Day Four - [March 24]: ‘make a wish’, winter, fairy lights.

Their first stop after running away that Christmas night was the last Frost Fair of 1814.  When the Doctor told her where they were going, she squealed and threw her arms around him before running off to change out of her nightgown.  She couldn’t wait to find the perfect outfit for the occasion.

She was thoughtful when she got back, sidling up to the Doctor as he worked the controls.  ‘Doctor?’  He hummed in response, fingers dancing over switches and buttons.  ‘Why the Frost Fair?  I’d think you’d had enough of Christmassy things after, well, everything.’

‘Pft.  You call _that_ Christmas?  Just because there was a fatty in a red suit?  Anyway, we dreamed the whole thing, so it doesn’t even count, really.  Besides…’ he fiddled absently with a lever, and Clara realized he looked _nervous_.  ‘I thought you’d like it.  Snow, Jane Austen, maybe some ice skating.  But if you’d rather do something else…’ he trailed off uncertainly.

‘No!  Of course not!  I can’t wait.  It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I was so sad when my mum explained why they don’t happen anymore.’

‘Well in that case-’  He set the parking break with a flourish, grabbed her hand, and together they ran for the door.  Just before he opened it, she paused.

‘Wait, Doctor – how do I look?’  She grinned and twirled, showing off her dark blue outfit, complete with matching bonnet. 

He studied her for a long minute.  Just when she was starting to shift uncomfortably, his entire face softened and split into a wide smile.  ‘Perfect.  You always look nice in a bonnet.’  He reached out and gently tweaked her ribbons.  ‘They suit you.’  He threw open the door and ducked outside.  She stared after him, frozen in shock.  She’d expected a comment on the roundness of her face, or maybe something about how she looked like a short, round TARDIS.  She’d never expected a compliment.  Not from the Doctor, of all people.  The Doctor didn’t do compliments, not anymore, and especially not on her appearance.  She wasn’t entirely sure what to make of this new…understanding between them, but she rather liked it.  He turned when he realized she wasn’t following and waved.  ‘Well, come on then.  The Thames will melt before we see anything at this rate!’

Aaand that was more like it.  Laughing, she ran to catch up with him and tentatively slipped her arm through his.  He didn’t even flinch, just adjusted his arm so that she could hold on more comfortably.

They spent the day wandering the Fair, looking at trinkets in the booths, eating roasted chestnuts and meat pies, and watching jugglers and musicians perform their acts.  They went ice skating, twirling around each other until the Doctor lost his balance and went flying into a snowdrift.  Clara was laughing so hard that she could barely pull him out.

Later, they were walking through the booths eating gingerbread as the sun was setting and lamps were beginning to be lit, when suddenly the Doctor stiffened.  Clara was about to ask him what was wrong, but he pulled her behind a booth before she could open her mouth.  ‘Doctor?  What’s going on?’ she whispered as he peered around the booth.

He glanced over his shoulder at her.  ‘Um.  I may have just seen myself,’ he replied sheepishly.

‘What?  Where?’  She poked her head around the booth as well.  ‘Which one?’

‘First.  Over by the puppet show.’

She looked where he indicated, and sure enough, there was the original Doctor, in all his crotchety glory.  She didn’t recognize the people with him, but she assumed they were his current companions.  She grinned up at her Doctor.  ‘You know, I think you were even more grouchy then than you are now.’  She poked him gently.  ‘You’ve mellowed in your old age.’

He started to bluster, but she was distracted by the music coming from the tent behind which they hid.  It was familiar, and it had no business whatsoever being at the Frost Fair of 1814.  She frowned.  ‘Is that…Isn’t She Lovely?’  His eyebrows started to twitch uncontrollably.  ‘It is!’  She raised her own eyebrow at him.  ‘Doctor, why is a Stevie Wonder song playing at the frost fair in 1814?’

He swallowed.  ‘That’s not a Stevie Wonder song.’

‘I think I can tell when I hear a Stevie Wonder song, Doctor.’

‘No.  That’s Stevie Wonder.’  She stared at him.  ‘I brought River here for her birthday one year.  Stevie Wonder provided the music.’

‘Just how many times have you been to this particular fair?’

‘Too many, obviously.  Let’s get back to the TARDIS before I have an identity crisis.’  He grabbed her hand and they began weaving through the crowd.  They were almost clear when Clara bumped into a tall man in a long brown coat.  He reached out to steady her as she bounced off him.

‘Sorry!’ she said.  And blinked when she caught sight of his face.

‘Oh, not to worry!’ he replied cheerfully.  ‘Happens all the time!’  He gallantly placed a kiss on the back of her hand, and she caught sight of the Doctor – well, _her_ Doctor – glaring at him from behind.

‘Well, thank you.  Got to run!’  She eased around the Doctor – she recognized him as the Tenth, or was he technically the Eleventh?  She was never sure how to count them after the War Doctor -  to catch up with the Doctor.  this was getting too confusing, even for her.  And she’d seen all of them!

The Doctor in the coat – stick with Ten, that was easier - was frowning.  ‘You look familiar.  Have we-’

‘Doctor!’  An Asian woman in a scarf and a beanie ran up to him.  ‘We have to go now, remember?’

‘Oh, right, you’re right!  Nice bumping into you!’ he called over his shoulder as they ran off.

Clara met her Doctor’s eye.  ‘You are _never_ coming to this frost fair again.’

‘I think that’s probably a good idea.’  He held out his hand.  ‘So, TARDIS?’

She took it.  ‘TARDIS.’

They ran back to the TARDIS, holding hands and laughing like a couple of teenagers.  When they reached the police box they paused, leaning back against the doors and looking back over the frost fair.  The lamps and torches twinkled in the dark like fairy lights, mirrored by the stars winking overhead.  ‘Doctor, look!’  Clara pointed up as a shooting star burst across the sky.  ‘Quick, make a wish!’

He snorted.  ‘Clara, wishing on stars is illogical.  A meteorite burning up in the upper atmosphere has no power to grant wishes.’

‘Doctor!’  She rolled her eyes and bumped his arm with her shoulder.  ‘Come on.  Make a wish.  It’s a venerable earth tradition.  We can both do it.’  She made a show of closing her eyes and wishing.  When she opened them, it was to find the Doctor watching her.  ‘What?  Why are you looking at me like that?  Did you make a wish?’

He shook his head.  ‘I don’t need to.’  He smiled, lifting a hand to gently cup her cheek.  ‘It already came true.’  Slowly, carefully, he bent his head, watching her reaction, giving her ample opportunity to pull away.  Instead, she smiled and lifted up on her toes, meeting him halfway.  She wrapped her arms around his neck while his arms slipped around her waist, hands spanning her back.  Kissing the Doctor was nothing like she’d expected and everything she’d hoped.  She could see constellations behind her eyelids, but at the same time she was firmly anchored in reality by the feel of his lips on hers.

They separated as slowly as they’d come together, their eyes tracing the other’s face in wonder.  ‘What about you?’ he asked softly.  ‘Do you think your wish will come true?’

She grinned.  ‘It just did,’ she said and pulled his head down again.

**Author's Note:**

> Man, these things keep getting longer. And fluffier. Help!  
> The Doctor has been to this particular Frost Fair four times - First, Tenth, Eleventh, and even Twelve and Clara. At least according to the TARDIS wiki. The man needs to STAHP! The fair lasted for four days, so he probably went on different days, but I thought would be funnier if they were all there at the same time. 'Cause I'm evil >:D At least Two went to one in the 1600s. He's the only smart one of the bunch, apparently.  
> This is my first attempt at writing a kiss. *blush*


End file.
